Matt Fitzpatrick commented on the atmosphere during Sunday’s final stretch of The Players Championship as the crowd rallied behind Cam Young’s victory at TPC Sawgrass.
As the penultimate group passed the final holes at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday, the proceedings certainly had a Ryder Cup feel to them.
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With Ludvig Aberg faltering, it was clear after two long tee shots on the 18th that either Fitzpatrick or Young would win the PGA Tour’s flagship event.
Matt Fitzpatrick reacts to crowd behavior at Sunday’s Players Championship
Young made a birdie putt on the 17th hole to tie Fitzpatrick, sending most fans into a frenzy and many Team USA chants ringing out.
The atmosphere remained tense as the pair dropped all the way to 18th place. Fitzpatrick’s bogey meant Young crossed the finish line for his second win on the PGA Tour.
While the crowd cheered Young on, Fitzpatrick insisted their actions had little impact on his performance in the final moments.
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
“Listen, viewers, this is child’s play compared to Bethpage. If they think there’s something wrong with this, then they need to reevaluate. Go to New York,” he said.
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“Listen, that’s the way it is. That’s the way it is. I hope things are exactly the same, if, well, it might not be because we’re a little more polite in Europe, I would say, but I hope there’s a similar intensity in Europe.
“I knew it was coming. I went through it with Jordan Spieth in 2023. Yeah, it was fun for me. I thought it was hilarious.”
TPC Sawgrass sees Fitzpatrick take another step in the right direction ahead of Masters
Surprisingly, Fitzpatrick has not won on the PGA Tour since 2023. Some believe he is better now than when he won the U.S. Open nearly four years ago.
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His performance this week feels like another step in the right direction. The Englishman has struggled at TPC Sawgrass over the years, failing to make the cut in three of his four previous visits.
He was very close to making the playoffs with Young. So he can feel confident heading into the majors, especially after two top-10 finishes last year.
